ISP: Indy man opened fire on car that brake checked him on I-70

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man with a reportedly short fuse and quick trigger finger is under arrest after he allegedly opened fire on another driver on Interstate 70 after being brake checked.

Dean A. Watson, 18, was arrested on Monday after investigators used Flock cameras to identify his vehicle and tie him back to the interstate shooting. Watson is charged with multiple felonies including attempted aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony; intimidation, a Level 3 felony; and pointing a firearm, a Level 6 felony.

According to court documents, Indiana State troopers were called to the 55.2-mile marker near Monrovia on June 27 at 8:18 p.m. on report of an interstate shooting. The trooper arrived and discovered a silver Saturn passenger car on the side of I-70 with several bullet holes in the vehicle.

The driver told police he had been traveling to Paragon on I-70 westbound when a silver Saturn SUV began to tailgate his vehicle in the left lane. Instead of getting over, the driver admitted to “flipping off” and brake checking the SUV. The SUV then cut over to the right lane and sped up to pass the victim.

As the SUV drove past, the driver — later determined to be Watson — held out a handgun and fired off multiple shots. Watson then reportedly sped off, passing cars on the emergency shoulder.

Bullet damage to the victim’s vehicle included a flat front tire which forced the victim to pull his Saturn over onto the shoulder of I-70 where he then called the police.

ISP investigators used Flock traffic cameras to spot both the suspect’s Saturn SUV and the victim’s Saturn car. After linking the suspect SUV to Watson, investigators uncovered a recent court case where Watson was accused of harassing a woman and threatening to shoot her, another woman and their families.

ISP investigators spoke to the victim in that case who told troopers that Watson had “violent tendencies” and was known to own multiple firearms. Investigators found several photographs posted by Watson on social media where he was posing with firearms.

Court documents reveal that investigators tracked Watson to apartments in Indianapolis where he lived. Police ended up surveilling Watson’s apartment until state troopers tailed him to a gas station on July 1 where he was arrested without incident. During a pat down, police found a loaded handgun on his person.

According to court documents, the amount of ammunition missing from the magazine in his firearm was consistent with the same amount of bullets fired at the victim’s car.

Investigators spoke with Watson who ultimately denied driving on I-70 on the day of the shooting and denied firing his gun at another driver as part of a road rage incident.

When police showed him photographs taken of his Saturn Vue on I-70, Watson reportedly replied, “Wow…” after a “notable pause,” police said.

When told he matched the description given of the alleged shooter, Watson reportedly replied, “Really?”

Watson ultimately requested an attorney and the interview was concluded.

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